We Are Young
by Kaia Milligan
Summary: She didn't want to have to expose herself, but ghosts were attacking at an alarming rate. She didn't want to help the ghost boy, but he couldn't do everything by himself (even with his friends). She didn't want to be public enemy no. 1, but that's what happened. She certainly didn't think she'd become a hero, but...she did. Marlowe didn't come to Amity Park to endure all that.
1. Chapter 1

_"Fox on the run,_

 _You scream and everybody comes a running,_

 _Take a run and hide yourself away...,"_

-Fox on the Run; **by The Sweet**

* * *

 _9 Years Ago_

* * *

It wasn't uncommon for Marlowe to hear screaming on the lower levels. The house was big, voices echoed. In some areas, at least. Marlowe had been told by her mother to lock herself in her room, just to be safe; it certainly _confused_ the five-year-old as to why she'd have to lock herself in her room, but she knew better than to question her mother. Then, when she heard her father's angered voice, she understood. He was in one of his _moods_.

Marlowe's father wasn't a very pleasant man at the best of times. He treated his wife with disrespect, he hardly acknowledged his daughter if he could help it. His thoughts were always preoccupied in other ways.

Something broke. It made Marlowe flinch. Her mother screamed and her father shouted. Then Marlowe heard her name, her mother had said it. Her father shouted again.

A bad feeling started rolling its way through Marlowe's stomach.

* * *

 _That Night_

* * *

Silence had filled the house for the remainder of the day. Not a single sound could be heard, only the occasional footsteps of someone walking. But no one spoke. Marlowe cautiously left her bedroom, hoping to see nothing too seriously damaged. The only thing she saw that was damaged was a picture frame in the hallway. It looked like it had been thrown.

Marlowe's mother was sitting against the wall, her knees drawn up. When she noticed her daughter, a look came across her face. "I told you to stay in your room," she said, her voice sounding almost flat.

"I know." Walking over, Marlowe sat next to her mother, making sure to avoid the shards of glass. The picture that had been inside was not too far from the frame, covered in glass remnants. "It was quiet," she said. They didn't talk for a few minutes. "Where's daddy?"

There was hesitation. "He's. . . .out."

"When's he coming back?" Marlowe looked up at her mother.

"I don't know."

Another silence fell between them.

"I'm leaving." The way Marlowe's mother said those two words, so cynically and deliberately, made Marlowe not only look up at her mother in surprise, but made her stomach knot up in fear.

"Am I going with you?" she asked.

"No."

"Why?"

"You'd get in trouble."

"I wanna come with you," Marlowe exclaimed.

"You're staying here with your father." When she looked down at her daughter, she almost felt heartbroken, seeing the look on the young girl's face. "You'll be in less danger that way."

Tears formed in Marlowe's eyes. "You _can't_ leave!" she shouted. "You _can't_!"

"I _have_ to." The sharpness in her tone made Marlowe stop herself short from shouting again. She knew that her parents didn't always get along, that was something she was _used_ to. But never— _never_ —had one of them _ever_ considered leaving. "I. . . .I have to," she sighed. "I'm sorry, Marlowe."

The tears spilled over. Marlowe hiccupped a sob. "Why can't I come?" she stammered. "Did I do something?"

"Baby, don't ever say that." Marlowe's mother embraced her, hugging her tightly. "You've never done anything wrong, OK?"

"But you're leaving. . . ."

". . . .I know." When the embrace ended, Marlowe's mother looked at her with tearful eyes, a strained smile on her face. "Don't worry, though, OK? It'll all be OK."

When Marlowe's mother touched her forehead, a sensation washed over her before she fell unconscious.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

Amity Park was a relatively decent sized city. It wasn't too overcrowded, which Marlowe greatly appreciated. She wasn't a fan of overly-populated areas. Amity Park, on the other hand, balanced out its citizens rather nicely.

When Marlowe first came to her new home, she wasn't sure what to expect. She had mentally prepared herself for the worst possible solution, but when nothing too serious happened, she allowed herself to let her guard down just a little. A majority of the people she encountered were pleasant, willing to help the fourteen-year-old with whatever questions she had. Eventually, Marlowe found herself at a local burger joint called _The Nasty Burger_. It wasn't something Marlowe would've found herself eating at, or even _hanging out_ in, but. . . .she was hungry. The inside of the small joint was everything she expected—stock full of teenagers, and small families, stuffing their faces with burgers, fries, and milkshakes. It even had that fast-food smell. Grease and the faint smell of cleaners.

Marlowe walked up to the front, looking at the menu stationed across the counter.

"Welcome to The Nasty Burger, how can I help you?" A young employee looked at Marlowe expectantly.

"I'm still deciding, thanks." Marlowe threw out her best smile. The employee went to do something else. The chatter of the other customers behind her was distracting, the smell was overwhelming, and the hypersensitivity of being in a new city was unbelievable. For a split second, Marlowe's mind wandered at how far she had come. Snapping herself out of it, she quickly decided to get a burger and fries. Once her order had been placed and she paid, in cash, she looked for an open seat. When she found one, she quickly went to sit down and waited until her order was ready.

Taking off her backpack, Marlowe placed it on the seat across from her, hoping it'd stop anyone from thinking she wanted company.

Marlowe was in no mood to be befriending anyone.

Once her order had been called, she quickly got up and retrieved it, making sure to say thank you before sitting down. Opening the bag, she took out her burger, unwrapping it from the covering that it was in, and took a bite. It was greasy, like she expected, but better than nothing. It had felt like a lifetime since she actually allowed herself to eat.

While she ate, Marlowe took an opportunity to look around, to take in her surroundings. The teenagers were gathered around their groups of friends, chatting and laughing rather loudly. The families were sitting a bit further from the teenagers, trying to enjoy a moment to themselves. Nothing seemed out of place in Marlowe's opinion.

Before she could even take another bite of her burger, someone approached Marlowe's table. A young boy with blue eyes and messy looking black hair. There was an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm sorry to interrupt," he said, chuckling nervously, "but is it OK if I borrow this chair?" He pointed to the one Marlowe's backpack was on. "I just need an extra seat for one of my friends."

Looking at him closely, Marlowe let closed her mouth and pursed her lips slightly. Reaching over to grab her backpack, she motioned for him to take the chair.

"Thank you," he said.

Marlowe watched as he took the chair and went over to a small table a few feet from her. There, she could see his friends. A goth girl and an African American boy. He'd been getting a chair for the goth.

Letting out a sigh, she returned to her burger.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Pretty short first chapter, maybe not the best ever, but hopefully you guys found something enjoyable in it. What do you think of Marlowe? Let me know what you think, OK?**

 **DP doesn't belong to me.**

 **If there's any confusion on this chapter, leave a review or PM me and I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **Be sure to tell me what I should improve on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	2. Chapter 2

_"You know that we are still young,_

 _So don't be dumb,_

 _Don't trust anyone,_

 _'Cause you only live once...,"_

-YOLO; **by The Lonely Island**

* * *

Marlowe decided to stay in The Nasty Burger a little longer, just to see and observe the others a little longer. Marlowe's fascination in how a portion of the community interacts would determine how long Marlowe would stay. In the few other communities she had lived in, Marlowe never stayed longer than a month or a month and a half. Mostly because she didn't entirely trust or care for a majority of the people there. But how would she feel about Amity Park? For the most part, she hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. The people seemed nice enough, the area seemed decent, the city wasn't too overpopulated; it wasn't anything _bad_.

 _At least not yet,_ she thought.

Sighing, she got up, grabbed her backpack, threw away her garbage, and left.

 **. . . .**

Walking through the streets, Marlowe took in the buildings and the structure of her newest environment. She would _have_ to familiarize herself with her surroundings, in case of emergencies. It was an important instinct to have. When she first started her travels, she'd been pursued by a gang of. . . . _otherworldly_ thugs. The kind Marlowe had seen enough of in her lifetime.

She managed to lose them, and stayed under the radar ever since.

Neither her father nor his otherworldly _thugs_ had the slightest clue on her location.

Marlowe intended to keep it that way.

Growing up with _just_ her father had been especially difficult on Marlowe. He was, obviously, a distant and cold individual. Marlowe had no recollection on where her mother could be, or what even happened to her, but the only thing she knew was that she was gone and maybe never coming back. That meant Marlowe would have to endure her father's moods on her own. Which meant she would have to learn how to defend herself against him. Marlowe was able to, for a short while, before she grew tired and angry of him and ran away. It seemed like the only possible solution.

Marlowe intended to do everything in her power to not go back to her father. She'd travelled too far just to get _shipped_ back to him.

The further Marlowe seemed to travel through Amity Park, the more suburban the buildings seemed to become. The typical nice homes, nice cars, wonderful neighborhood kind of vibe. It wasn't anything Marlowe hadn't seen before.

Some of the homes had children playing in the front yard, dogs barking behind fences or closed doors, things that would be stereotypical in a suburban area like that. If Marlowe were to ponder on the subject, she'd say she wished she would have lived in an area like that. Where she lived with her father, the house was a little more secluded from the neighbors; not by a lot, but still pretty significant. Marlowe never had an opportunity to get acquainted with her old neighbors, or to be able to play with the neighborhood kids. It was always just her and her father.

Marlowe took her time going through Amity Park's suburbs, trying to find some kind of enjoyment in her surroundings. Maybe Marlowe would get lucky and be able to stay in one of those houses until she went on the move again. _Maybe_. Once the suburbs started dwindling and it got back to the more modern areas of the city, Marlowe took notice to a giant extension coming from one of the buildings near the end. It would've been impossible to miss. As she got closer, Marlowe noticed that the large extension was on a relatively average looking building. There were plenty of odd extensions stemming from the extension. It looked like some kind of war-room, if Marlowe were to guess correctly. Underneath it all was a large sign that ran down the side of the building that read _Fenton Works_.

 _It's probably some business,_ she thought. _Maybe like some weird extermination group._

She couldn't help but scoff at that.

Marlowe passed the building without a second thought.

 **. . . .**

Near the end of the day, Marlowe had gone through what she felt like was most of Amity Park. It wasn't enough to give her a good idea on the layout, but it was good enough. Unfortunately for Marlowe, the sun was beginning to set and she hadn't found a place to stay. She'd seen a few alleys during her walk, so, if she hid herself well enough, there was a possibility she could stay in one of those.

 _You'd have to manage staying invisible all night,_ she thought bitterly. _Can you do that?_

Looking up at the sky, there was still enough light out for Marlowe to at least _attempt_ to stay somewhere for one night. Marlowe hadn't exactly been managing her time that wisely.

Observing each of the buildings she walked by, Marlowe tried deciding which ones would be the most suitable to stay in.

 _You could try that suburban part?_ She considered the thought, but she had a feeling it was further than she cared to walk. Frustration started bubbling in the pit of Marlowe's stomach, making her scowl.

Before she even had a _moment_ to react, Marlowe ran into someone. She stumbled a little before she caught her footing, and that was when the frustration seemed to just bubble over. Turning around sharply, Marlowe was about ready to rip the person a new one before she recognized him. It was the boy from the fast food joint, the one who took one of her chairs. Only this time, his friends weren't with him.

"I'm sorry," he stammered, looking almost anxious. "Are you OK?"

Whether or not _he_ recognized Marlowe didn't seem to matter; a thought popped into her head. "I'm fine," she answered curtly. "It was my fault."

"Are you sure you're OK?" he pressed, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.

"I'm sure." Marlowe tried for a convincing smile.

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly before a look swept across his face. "Wait. . . .you were at The Nasty Burger earlier, weren't you?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, I was."

Recognition filled his features. "You were!" he exclaimed, almost proudly.

Trying to keep her smile friendly, Marlowe nodded, brushing some of her dark brown hair out of her face. "I was," she repeated.

"Are you new here?" he asked.

"Yes," Marlowe answered. "I moved here just today."

"That's nice." He gave a bright smile, one Marlowe couldn't help but label as almost boyish; something that would fit someone with his features. "I'm Danny."

"Marlowe."

"Nice meeting you," Danny exclaimed happily. Waving, he turned to walk away and Marlowe knew her opening was milliseconds away from closing.

"Wait!" she squeaked, causing Danny to stop. "I know this may seem like an odd question, but would I be able to stay with you for the night?"

A confused look swept across Danny's face. "With. . . . _me_?" he stammered.

"Yes," Marlowe said. " _I_ moved here today. I don't exactly have a place to live yet."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **What'd you guys think of this chapter? I tried keeping it as interesting as possible, and hopefully it was. If you've got any questions on anything, or any suggestions on future chapters, leave a review or PM me. If it's a suggestion for future chapters—ranging from subplots to OCs or whatever else you can think of** **—don't hesitate to let me know.**

 **DP isn't mine.**

 **Hope you all have wonderful holidays.**

 **If there's any confusion on this chapter, leave a review or PM me and I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **Be sure to tell me what I should improve on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	3. Chapter 3

_"I've always been interested in the idea of people who fell through the cracks."_ -Peter Capaldi

* * *

The look that had swept across Danny's face was indescribable. Marlowe would've said he looked surprised, in disbelief—anything that she expected to see after hearing her statement. Occasionally he'd open his mouth in an attempt to say something, but he always looked like a fish out of water. It was amusing for Marlowe.

"If you want to say no, I'll completely understand." Arching a brow at him, Marlowe looked at him a little closer. "I'm not _expecting_ you to say yes."

"You're. . . .homeless?" he stuttered, as if he couldn't trust himself to say the words properly.

"More or less," Marlowe responded. "I'll find a place to stay eventually. But, for now, I'm just looking for temporary living arrangements."

Running a hand through his black hair, Danny's eyes glittered anxiously as he thought over what he wanted to do. Marlowe continued looking at him, studying him. She hoped he'd say yes, she didn't _want_ to sleep in an alleyway for the night, but she knew there was a _strong_ possibility she _would_.

"I, uh. . . .," he stammered, looking at Marlowe with uncertainty. "I-I guess you could come with me."

A sense of relief washed over Marlowe; she was partially expecting him to say no, that he'd do anything in his power to _avoid_ the subject of her homelessness. Marlowe was secretly pleased she allowed herself to ask Danny.

"Thank you," she said, trying to make herself sound as polite as possible.

" _I'd_ like you to have a place to stay, but it's up to my parents on whether it'll happen." A sense of dread filled Marlowe's stomach. She completely forgot about that little problem. "They should be understanding," Danny continued, waving Marlowe to follow him. "They're good people. There's nothing to worry about."

 _You better be right about that,_ she thought bitterly, despite the thankful smile she plastered on her face.

 **. . . .**

The walk to Danny's home seemed like it was taking an eternity. An awkward silence had fallen between the two and Marlowe wondered how much farther they had to walk before the silence became unbearable.

"We're almost there," Danny murmured, momentarily breaking the silence.

Looking around, Marlowe noticed how some of the scenery around her seemed oddly familiar—she'd been down that area of Amity Park earlier—and couldn't help but frown. It wasn't the suburban part of the city, but there were still areas that served as houses for families. Then came the huge _Fenton Works_ sign. Marlowe's brows furrowed.

When Danny went over to the Fenton building, walk up the front porch steps, he turned and looked at Marlowe, who stood almost as still as a statue at the base of the stairs.

"What?" he asked. "Aren't you coming?"

"You live _here_?"

A look of embarrassment swept across Danny's face. "Well. . . .," he muttered.

"Don't get upset," Marlowe exclaimed. "I just didn't take this as anyone's home."

Shaking his head, Danny tried for a smile. "Sorry," he sighed. "Come on." Unlocking the front door, Danny opened it and ushered Marlowe to follow him inside.

 **. . . .**

Marlowe Atkins liked to believe that she had seen plenty of things in her fourteen years of life. A majority of it being—believe it or not— _ghost_ related. That's right; _ghosts_. Marlowe's father dabbled in the ghostly side of things, not because he found some kind of entertainment out of it; not even because he was _fascinated_ by it. Marlowe's _father_ used it as a means to gain control. He was power hungry, despite a number of. . . . _successes_ he'd endured in his lifetime. But when Marlowe stepped foot into Danny's home, she took a moment to just see how unconventional his family seemed. His father—some large man in an orange jumpsuit—was welding metal onto some contraption in the middle of the living room; his mother, dressed in a blue jumpsuit, was testing out some gadget; while a girl Marlowe assumed to be Danny's sister was sitting far away from her parents.

When they heard the front door open, immediately their heads snapped over to see Danny and Marlowe standing there.

"Danny, who's your friend?" his mother asked, her voice sounding kind but suspicious.

"This is Marlowe," Danny responded. "She's new here."

"Shouldn't she be home by now?" Danny's mother, who had goggles placed over her eyes, lifted them up.

"I don't have a home right now," Marlowe cut in, hoping it didn't come across as rude.

"What?" Danny's sister stood up from where she sat, looking at Marlowe with concern in her eyes. "What do you mean you don't have a home?"

"I'm homeless at the moment." Marlowe looked at Danny's family with a solemn expression. "I asked Danny if I could stay at his place for a night at the latest until I get myself settled elsewhere."

Danny's mother looked at her husband quickly before looking at her son. Clearly there were obvious concerns, but Marlowe was choosing not to pay attention to it at the moment.

"What happened to your parents?" Danny's mother exclaimed, putting her gadget down on a nearby table. "Shouldn't we call them? They're probably worried sick."

"I was in foster care," Marlowe lied, "for a long time. I couldn't take it anymore. It's not easy, ya know?" She shrugged, hoping she was at least convincing them. "I'm trying to do better for myself."

Marlowe saw the concern become even more evident on their faces. She knew it'd be difficult trying to persuade them. They seemed like nice people, but Marlowe was in a bit of a tight situation. Chewing on her bottom lip, Marlowe swallowed thickly before she released a small wave of energy their way. The energy itself was invisible to the human eye, but even small dosages of it was powerful enough to put a small group of humans under her control. It was a special kind of mental manipulation Marlowe found out she could do when she was relatively young. She could allow herself to either partially enter the minds of others or send out waves of energy to serve as a way to control her victims.

When Marlowe first found out she could manipulate the minds of others, it terrified her. Her father tried using her power for his advantage. That was when Marlowe discovered just how far she could go with her ability. She could alter the memories of those under her control; erase a limited amount of memories at a time; force certain thoughts into her victims' heads, making them believe it were true. She could go on.

That was why, in that moment, Marlowe felt a bit of guilt for what she was about to do.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Happy holidays, everyone! I hope your day was well spent.**

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter, OK? That's the important thing. What do you guys think about Marlowe's ability? What do you think of her character? If you think I should write more on her past—either as a flashback or a brief explanation, etc.** **—leave a review or PM me.**

 **Do I own DP? No. No I don't.**

 **If there's any confusion on this chapter, leave a review or PM me and I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Be kind to yourself so you can be happy enough to be kind to the world."_ -Misha Collins

* * *

Marlowe felt a little bad for what she'd done to the Fentons; they seemed like genuinely nice people in her opinion, so when she had to do a little manipulation, it left a bit of guilt inside of her.

It didn't take much to do a little manipulation in their minds, though, Marlowe had to say _that_ much. The Fentons were a little easier when it came to her ability—minus Danny's older sister, who was a little more difficult, but not by much—and it made things easier for Marlowe. For some of the people she'd manipulated in the past, their mental strength was strong, which meant she'd have to push herself to the limits to do what needed to be done. Marlowe made sure to instill just enough influence over the Fentons so that they'd allow her to stay in the house. When the energy dissipated, there was a long pause and a bit of confusion on the Fentons' part, but eventually, an air of normalcy began to reappear.

"You can stay for as long as you'd like," Danny's mother said.

"No kid should be left to fend for themselves," Danny's father exclaimed. "Stay for as long as you need!"

Letting out a sigh, Marlowe nodded and gave a thankful smile.

 **. . . .**

Danny led Marlowe to the house's guest room, saying that was the only available room in the house.

"The bathroom's right down there," he said, pointing down the hall. "If you've got any questions, ask any of us, OK?"

"I'll be sure to, thank you." Marlowe tried for a smile.

"Do you have any clothes on you?" Danny asked.

Nodding, Marlowe shrugged off her backpack. "I've got a few clothes," she answered. "It's not much, but. . . ."

"That's OK!" Danny exclaimed. "If you ask my mom, I'm sure she'll go shopping with you. Or at least drop you off at the mall."

Thanking Danny again, she watched as he left her room. When he was gone, she gently closed the door and locked it. She had to make sure she at least had _some_ privacy. Unzipping her backpack, she pulled out the few clothes she did have before pulling out a journal. It was something she'd kept close to her, even _before_ she left her father. Marlowe had kept everything she considered important written in the journal, and made sure to keep it hidden from anyone she encountered. It was about a quarter of the way filled, and the amount of writing depended on what Marlowe considered important. When she reached the last entry, just before she left the last city she'd been in, Marlowe couldn't help but reread it.

 _"I thought I had a dream about MOM again. HE said SHE left when I was little. I don't remember HER. Why? HE said SHE never loved me; that was why SHE left. I was the problem SHE didn't want to deal with. Why did SHE leave me with HIM, then? We don't get along. HE's never nice. HE's done things, I've seen it. No one would believe me, though. I could just alter them, but. . . ."_

The writing didn't even take up half the page. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Marlowe tried keeping herself together. Marlowe didn't want to believe that her mother was gone because of her, that she'd done something to make her mother not love her the way her father made it out to be. There had to be something more, something Marlowe wasn't seeing. But she couldn't.

Digging through her backpack, Marlowe pulled out a pen and started writing the latest entry. She'd make it short and sweet. Once she finished, she hid it in her backpack and put it under her bed.

 **. . . .**

It was about an hour and a half later when Danny's mother called Marlowe down for dinner. Marlowe hadn't left her assigned room since Danny brought her to it. She wasn't sure she was allowed anywhere in the house without permission. That was the rule back home. But once she heard the voice of Danny's mother, she hesitantly unlocked the door and opened it; the smell of whatever had been cooked made its way to Marlowe.

Going down the stairs, Marlowe walked into the kitchen where everyone had gathered.

"We got an extra chair for you!" Danny's father exclaimed, pointing to an extra seat between Danny and his sister.

"Thank you," Marlowe said, sitting down.

"What did you say your name was again?" Danny's sister asked.

"Marlowe."

"I'm Jazz," she responded, holding a hand out.

Slightly taken aback by Jazz's attitude—almost like she was trying to act beyond her years—Marlowe hesitantly shook Jazz's hand.

"Where were you from, Marlowe?" Danny's mother asked.

"Wisconsin."

"Hey, I have an old college buddy from Wisconsin!" Danny's father exclaimed. Marlowe tensed for a moment. "Vladdie! He's a good friend of mine and Maddie!"

A sense of dread seemed to fill Marlowe's entire body. She'd heard stories of her father's old college days, how he held a slight fascination about ghosts in his college days and eventually befriended a man named Jack and a woman named Maddie. Looking between Danny's parents, the dread seemed to intensify a little.

" _Vladdie_?" Marlowe repeated.

"Vlad Masters," Danny's mother—Marlowe grudgingly considered believing was Maddie—said. There was a certain tone in her voice Marlowe didn't think was good. "We haven't stayed in contact with him. I don't really know what happened to him."

Swallowing thickly, Marlowe looked at her hands for a moment before attempting to pull herself together.

"I'm sure he's doing just fine," she said, hoping she wasn't giving anything away.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **How was this chapter? Hopefully decent. If there's any confusion at all on what's going on, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **DP isn't mine.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	5. Chapter 5

_"I know this sounds insane, but this is an insane world."_ -Rick Grimes; **The Walking Dead**

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Marlowe laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling solemnly. Her father was in his laboratory, trying to figure out some new invention he'd made. Marlowe couldn't understand her father's dedication—if she'd even call it that—to create some new, dangerous device. Besides, it wasn't like he'd actually _use_ it. Marlowe saw him invent some new device, then toss it aside if he didn't think it'd have any value to him.

In Marlowe's opinion, her father was probably so obsessed—so arrogant—about what he invented was because of the success of his ghost portal. That blasted portal had been around since before Marlowe's birth, and it was her father's pride and joy. Vlad Masters used to tell Marlowe stories of how he came to invent something like that.

"It was a blubbering _idiot_ from my college days," he'd exclaimed, bitterness lacing his words. "He wouldn't be able to get anything done, even if he had a big enough _brain_ to do so."

"That doesn't explain how you built it," Marlowe would reply.

"That idiot made a malfunction on a prototype portal in our college days," Vlad would sigh. "I helped him build it, along with. . . ." He'd always pause at that part, but Marlowe knew what he was talking about. He had admired a woman named Maddie since college, a woman he hoped to win back with his money and growing success.

"I understand."

Vlad made it perfectly clear how much he wanted to win Maddie's affections, and how much he _despised_ Jack for ruining his life. And, for whatever reason, after Marlowe had been brought into the picture—along with the disappearance of Marlowe's mother—Vlad seemed to deem it necessary to bring his only daughter to the same levels of misery as him.

Marlowe would have to endure rigorous training, forced to battle any ghostly henchmen Vlad had, and deal with emotional manipulation. Vlad knew that Marlowe had insecurities when it came to her mother's absence, and used those insecurities against her. It was almost as if Vlad found some kind of satisfaction in lowering his daughter's self worth.

It seemed to be even more intense than usual on this particular day.

Vlad had made Marlowe stay in her room for a majority of the morning, saying that she was about as useless as her mother had been at that time. That had caused a twinge of something awful to rush through Marlowe's body; and despite every part of her wanting to say something, she knew better than to do so. Chances were that Vlad would say something else to berate his daughter emotionally.

So Marlowe stayed in her room, laying on her bed, trying to figure out what to do to keep herself occupied.

 _Hopefully he doesn't come in here asking for you,_ she thought solemnly, letting out a soft sigh at the thought. Any time Vlad came into Marlowe's room—or anywhere else in the house—it usually had to do with something he figured she needed some kind of training in.

The thought of maybe sneaking out of the house crossed Marlowe's mind, but she immediately shot it down after careful consideration. Vlad would know if Marlowe had snuck out. Being the half-ghost that he is, Vlad had his own way of knowing when there were ghosts nearby.

 _Looks like you're stuck in this room until something happens._ A slight scowl appeared on Marlowe's face. The one thing she hated the most was having to _wait_ and _see_ what happened.

Throwing an arm over her eyes, Marlowe tried calming down her restless mind. Sometimes she had such an overactive imagination—or her mind would just go into overdrive on what could happen—that it almost felt as if she were disconnecting herself from the world around her. Marlowe had tried training herself to stay as focused and as sharp as possible. But with her mind constantly wandering off at the weirdest times, it difficult at times.

Without so much as a warning, Marlowe's blood ran cold, a shiver running up her spine almost violently. Removing her arm from over her eyes, Marlowe looked around her room. That sensation was something she was accustomed to. Slowly sitting up, Marlowe continued scanning her room, but she didn't see anything. Scowling slightly, she released some energy, detecting something at the far corner of her room.

"I know you're there," she announced, looking at the area the being was. No reply. "I can sense you, why don't you just show yourself?"

"Plasmius was right about you," a voice chuckled, "you're. . . . _unique_." A figure appeared near the far corner of Marlowe's room. It looked like a metal man with green flames as hair.

"Who're _you_ supposed to be?" Marlowe exclaimed. "Another one of my father's employers?"

A scowl appeared on the ghost's face. "I'm Skulker," he said, sounding almost prideful. "I'm the Ghost Zone's best hunter."

Frowning, Marlowe got out of bed and crossed her arms over her chest. Skulker took out his weapons, aiming them at Marlowe with ease. A ring formed around Marlowe's waist, and when they separated, transforming Marlowe's body, a sense of dread filled her. She'd never battled Skulker before. If he really was the 'best hunter in the Ghost Zone', then Marlowe knew she'd have to keep herself on high alert.

By the time Marlowe's transformation completed, she unconsciously started levitating a few inches off the ground. Marlowe's ghostly attire was a black and white shirt—ending just inches above her thighs—with black shorts that ended mid-thigh, and white tennis shoes. Marlowe's hair went from dark brown to a deep violet color; her eyes going from green to blue.

"OK, _Skulker_ ," Marlowe sighed. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Just as a heads up for you guys—some of you may not even care, but for those of you who do, it'd be nice if you read this tidbit** **—I am completely aware that whenever I update a new chapter, the previous one appears until the newest one is updated. I'm not doing this on purpose to get you guys irritated or upset, those are not my intentions. I'm just trying to finish up the chapter before I update it. Like I said, some of you may not care at all; but there are some who think it's annoying whenever that happens. And when that happens, those who can't seem to wait until the chapter's up go and review and review about the previous chapter being up. I know what's happening. Patience is a virtue.**

 **Aside from that. . . .**

 **DP isn't mine.**

 **Let me know if there's any confusion.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	6. Chapter 6

_"You see, sometimes friends have to go away, but part of them stays behind with you."_ -Ash Ketchum; **Pokémon**

* * *

Laying in the guest bedroom, Marlowe's gaze hadn't left the ceiling the entire time. After dinner had finished up, Marlowe had thanked the Fentons for the meal before announcing she was going to bed. That didn't seem to bother Danny or his family much, and she was very thankful for that. It was bad enough Marlowe had to do a little manipulation to have her stay with them, but having to do it all the time because of possible worries they had made her anxious.

 _Don't let them notice anything out of line,_ she thought. _What you did was wrong, but you can't let them know. Any sign of emotion is dangerous._

Was that what it came to? She couldn't even trust herself to show emotions around the Fentons? They didn't seem like awful people; they seemed like the exact _opposite_ of Vlad. But. . . .why was she finding it to be so difficult to be around them?

Scowling, she turned onto her side, glaring at the closed bedroom door. No one made an attempt to come into her room to check on her, and she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign. Were they waiting around? Were they hoping she'd make some kind of mistake and have her leave?

 _That's not possible, right? You've done a little altering, there's no way they'd be able to undo what you did._

A hint of truth hid behind the thought. For as long as Marlowe had been doing the manipulation, none of her victims had been able to undo the changes that had been done. She had stooped down to repressing emotion so she wouldn't give anything away? How long was Marlowe expected to do that?

Sitting up, Marlowe let out a frustrated sigh. Seeing as she couldn't sleep, she was going to try and find something to tire her out.

And that meant taking in her new living arrangements.

 **. . . .**

Small. Average. _Completely_ different than Vlad's house. Marlowe remembered how big and empty it felt, how it made Marlowe feel small and insignificant. She tried to push those feelings down, but every time she wasn't training or doing whatever else Vlad wanted, it'd always return. She felt. . . .lonely. It was bad enough Vlad viewed Marlowe in such low regard, but that didn't compare to every other emotion that swam through her body.

Was she feeling envious of the Fentons? How their home was so small and average. They seemed like the perfect suburban family. Rolling her eyes, Marlowe tiptoed into the kitchen, studying it carefully.

 _They're the opposite of normal,_ she thought solemnly. _Danny's parents are about as dedicated to ghosts as Vlad is._

Gently touching the kitchen table, Marlowe sighed. It was small, just like the rest of the house, but still big enough for the family to sit and eat each night. Running her fingers over the wood, Marlowe pursed her lips. A feeling of guilt started to wash over Marlowe. Maybe manipulating the Fentons' minds was a bad idea. She had been so desperate for a _real_ place to stay she didn't even take into consideration how Danny and his family may actually feel about the situation. Marlowe had said only one night, but. . . .

Marlowe was snapped out of her thoughts by the kitchen lights flickering on. Turning around sharply, Marlowe saw Maddie standing there, looking at Marlowe confusedly.

"Is there something wrong?" Maddie asked.

Shaking her head, Marlowe tried for her most charming smile. "I'm fine, really," she said. "I couldn't sleep, that's all."

Maddie hummed in response before yawning. "Do you need me to fix you anything?" she asked.

"I'm OK," Marlowe exclaimed. "You guys letting me stay here is enough, honestly."

For what felt like the longest minute in Marlowe's life, Maddie just looked at her, studying her. It was like Maddie was _looking_ for something. Needless to say, it made Marlowe feel uncomfortable; like an insect under a microscope.

"Am I in trouble?" Marlowe inched back, as if waiting for Maddie to do something to her.

Shaking her head, Maddie gave a small smile Marlowe's way. "No," she said. "I was just thinking, don't worry."

"I'll pay you guys rent."

Maddie's brows shot up in shock and confusion, looking at Marlowe as if she'd misheard what had been said.

"I'll pay you guys rent," Marlowe repeated. "To say 'thank you'."

Maddie shook her head, as if she couldn't believe those words left Marlowe's mouth. "That's not necessary," she said.

Looking at Maddie closely, Marlowe pursed her lips before nodding. She'd have to figure out another way to repay the Fentons.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **If this chapter was awful in any way, I am so, so sorry. I just started up school again and I'm a little frazzled from that. But! If you think there's any way I could improve this chapter, or any future chapters, let me know, OK?**

 **Do I own DP? No. No I don't.**

 **As a reminder for you guys, since I am in the beginning stages of my winter quarter, there may be some conflicts on when I update a chapter for this story _(or any of my other stories)_. Once I find a balance between work and school, I'll try and update. The one good thing is I don't have classes on Fridays, so there's a  mild possibility I may update chapters on Fridays. Does that sound good? Normally, I would try and post a chapter whenever I had the day off work, but they've been giving me a whole bunch of hours and now with school being mixed in there, it's been a bit overwhelming.**

 **Anywho.**

 **If you've got ideas on OCs or subplots you'd like to have added to the story, let me know. This story will be going by the canon storyline, plus a little added subplots I throw in or anything you guys want added.**

 **I digress.**

 **Let me know if there's any confusion.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	7. Chapter 7

_"Once I rose above the noise and confusion,_

 _Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion,_

 _I was soaring ever higher,_

 _But I flew too high...,"_

-Carry On My Wayward Son; **by Kansas**

* * *

The remainder of the night went on uneventfully, much to Marlowe's relief. After her brief discussion with Maddie, Marlowe decided to head back to bed. She had given her thanks to Maddie for everything that had been provided so far, and the older woman seemed to take it graciously. By the time Marlowe made it back to the guest room, laying down on the bed, _that_ was when she realized how tired she'd become.

Marlowe fell asleep easily after that.

 **. . . .**

Marlowe had been jolted out of her slumber by the sounds of something similar to an explosion. It was loud enough to shake the guest room a little, and make a knot of terror form in the pit of Marlowe's stomach.

Stumbling out of bed, Marlowe exited the guest room and went on a brief search around the house before she saw smoke coming out of the living room. Walking in, she saw a completely stunned Jack, covered in ash, standing in the middle of the room.

"What was that?" Marlowe exclaimed.

"That was my latest invention!" Jack exclaimed, halfheartedly wiping the ash off his face. "The Fenton Ghost Annihilator."

"But there's still some things _wrong_ with it, isn't there?" Maddie walked into the living room, placing her hands on her hips. Marlowe could easily tell that Maddie was the more experienced inventor between the two of them. Jack had the passion for inventing, but Marlowe had to wonder if _all_ of them ended in such a violent manner.

"What's it supposed to do?" Marlowe asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"It's _supposed_ to destroy ghosts on contact," Maddie said, walking over to the burnt remains of the invention. "Once it's up and running, it should be able to do that."

"After we get the Ghost Portal operational, too," Jack exclaimed.

" _Ghost_ _Portal_?"

"That's right." There was a hint of pride in Maddie's voice. "Jack and I have been working on a Ghost Portal. It's been a goal of ours to get it complete; we need to have some samples of _actual_ ghosts if we want to know if our inventions work."

 _Oh no. . . .I had a feeling they were a bit eccentric, but ghost fanatics? This can't be happening!_

An uneasiness settled on Marlowe's shoulders. Having to deal with Vlad's unhealthy tendencies to use ghosts for his own personal gain made Marlowe wary on anything to _do_ with the subject. If she had been given the opportunity to live with a _normal_ father, Marlowe wouldn't have _believed_ that ghosts were real. Who in their right mind would dedicate their entire life to ghosts? Why would anyone think that was normal behavior?

 _You should've seen it coming,_ she thought uncomfortably. _There were things about them that seemed a little off. But who would've thought that ghosts would've been in the equation?_

"But your. . . . _Portal_ isn't up and running?" Marlowe asked, her voice trembling ever-so-slightly.

"Not yet!" Jack exclaimed.

"There are a few modifications we need to do before it can be operational." Maddie sounded so matter-of-fact, so certain that this Ghost Portal would work. Deep down, Marlowe _prayed_ it didn't work. Not only did she find anything ghost-related to be _completely_ unnerving, but she found it to be really unnatural. Considering some circumstances on her part, having a half-ghost father _(among some additions to herself)_ , it didn't seem right to have ghosts around. Ghosts were not to be trusted, but she had no intentions of _actually_ wanting to "annihilate" them like Jack and Maddie did. "That reminds me," Maddie exclaimed, "you should probably get enrolled in school, Marlowe."

Feeling her blood run cold, Marlowe swallowed thickly. "I don't think that's necessary."

"What?" Maddie chuckled. "Don't be so silly, Marlowe. You should be getting an education!"

If anything, Marlowe wanted to tell Maddie that she really _didn't_ want to be enrolled in school because of how she'd been homeschooled her entire life, and how she had no proper socializing skills. Vlad kept Marlowe pretty isolated from kids her age, pretty much making it impossible for his daughter to make friends of any kind. It wasn't like she could leave her home without his supervision anyway.

"But. . . .I don't really know if I'd qualify for the school here." Part of Marlowe _really_ considered doing a little manipulation on the whole enrolling-in-school situation. She didn't really see anything good coming out of a public school of any kind.

"I'm sure you will," Maddie said confidently. "Jazz is the top of her class!"

"What about Danny?"

"Danny's a smart boy he just doesn't apply himself," Jack exclaimed.

With a sigh, Maddie agreed. "Danny's at that age where he'll get distracted by other things than wanting to do his homework."

"Isn't that natural?" Marlowe asked.

"If he plans on being successful outside of school, he'll have to do _better_." There was a firmness in Maddie's voice that made Marlowe swallow thickly. "He doesn't seem to understand that the grades he's getting won't be enough for what's out there."

 _Vlad never taught me anything like that,_ Marlowe thought solemnly. _It was never about what would benefit me in the long run, it was always what would benefit him._

Frowning, Marlowe didn't respond. How was she supposed to? Danny's parents were, from what Marlowe could gather, loving and concerned parents. They wanted what was best for their children, they wanted them to succeed. A bubble of envy formed in Marlowe, steadily working its way around her body until she couldn't shake it off. Why couldn't _she_ have parents that loved her? Why couldn't _she_ have the opportunity to be concerned about her future? With Vlad, it was always what would make _him_ look good and make _him_ look more successful. He'd tried using Marlowe to buy out the Packers! Luckily, Marlowe didn't use _enough_ of her energy to have the coaches and representatives be so easily persuaded. It had been something she did out of spite.

"You did go to school before you came here, right?" Maddie asked.

Looking at Maddie, Marlowe nodded wordlessly. She couldn't really find her voice.

"We're probably going to need your records if you're going to go to the school here." There was a maternal tone in Maddie's voice, one Marlowe hadn't ever heard before. It was foreign, almost uncomfortable on Marlowe's part. How was she supposed to respond to that? She'd never had a motherly figure in her life.

Was she really going to have to go along with all of this?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter came up a little late, but I finished my homework and decided I'd post a new chapter just 'cause. How was it? Were there any confusing parts? Let me know, OK?**

 **DP isn't mine.**

 **Be sure to tell me if there's anything in my chapters that're confusing. I'll try and explain them the best I can, but you've got to let me know! I can't tell if there's something that doesn't make sense to you if you don't let me know. I try to do a little proof-reading of the chapters after I post it, I know that probably doesn't make much sense, but that's how I check for some mistakes. I may not do a fantastic job at catching every mistake, but I try to get as many as possible. Nobody's perfect. But if there's a section that you'd like me to explain in any way, leave a review or PM me.**

 **Remember, I'll try to do a schedule where I'll update on Fridays, when I have the time.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	8. Chapter 8

_"I'm free to be the greatest, I'm alive,_

 _I'm free to be the greatest here tonight...,"_

-The Greatest; **by Sia**

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Marlowe sat in the living room, looking at the table in front of her. She watched her fingers tap the wooden tabletop, barely making any noise when they touched. Despite it being a nice day outside, and Marlowe _really_ wanted to go out and enjoy it, Vlad said she couldn't. He had a lesson for her to complete; and from the way he made it sound, it was probably going to last all day. That was the one thing Marlowe hated about being homeschooled; Vlad deliberately made it so she couldn't go and enjoy herself.

Looking up, she looked out the nearest window and felt her heart sink a little. It was a little cloudy outside, but it wasn't the kind of weather for it to rain or snow.

"I already told you you aren't going out today." Vlad's voice filled the room, causing Marlowe to flinch. He probably walked through the walls or floors. Either way, she hadn't realized he showed up.

"I'm aware," she mumbled.

"I don't understand why you're getting such an attitude," he exclaimed, a hint of a condescending tone in his voice. "It's not like you'd be doing anything _useful_ out there."

 _I could name a few things that'd count as useful,_ Marlowe thought solemnly.

"Today we're going to learn more about how to control your abilities," Vlad stated, his tone leaving no room for arguing.

" _Only_ that?" Marlowe asked.

"Have you been keeping up with your studies on your own time?" Marlowe didn't answer. "I don't have the time or patience to be dealing with that right now. And I don't expect to hear another word out of you."

 **. . . .**

Marlowe had been right about it being exhausting. Vlad had her pushing herself to the absolute limit. Not only that, but he was giving instructions on all the different types of abilities ghosts were capable of using. Because his Portal was operational, he was able to gather some data on all the ghosts he'd encountered. Some of them had control over music, some could cause bad luck; it all depended on the type of ghost. Vlad just wanted to learn if his daughter could do anything other than just reshape the minds of others.

"You're not trying hard enough, Marlowe." Vlad's voice was clipped. "We can do this well into the night. I have no problems doing so."

Wincing slightly, Marlowe tried catching her breath. She'd been working almost nonstop for hours; her body was exhausted and she felt mentally drained. "What's the point of this, anyway?" she snapped. "It's not like this'll help me when I'm older!"

Before she even had a chance to react, a ghost ray just _barely_ hit her. It had been close enough for her to get just a bit of an injury—nothing too serious—and scare the daylights out of her. The ghost ray ended up hitting a wall, causing a small explosion to ensue. Marlowe looked at her father in shock, while one of her hands unconsciously went to the area Vlad nearly hit.

" _You_ don't get to lecture _me_ ," he snapped. At some point during Marlowe's training, Vlad had transformed into Plasmius, his evil alter ego. Though _evil_ didn't just stretch into his ghost half. "You're here to serve me!"

Marlowe felt tears prickle in the backs of her eyes, and she tried her best to keep them at bay. She didn't want Vlad having the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Adrenaline started rushing through her body, causing the pain in her side to ease up a little. In the back of Marlowe's mind, she knew she'd have to do a little check-up on the injury; she knew it couldn't be that bad.

Transforming back into a human, Vlad looked at Marlowe almost condescendingly before he folded his hands behind his back. "We're done for today," he stated calmly, as if he hadn't just lost his temper earlier. "Clean up this mess. I'll be back in an hour, and I expect it to be finished."

 **. . . .**

Marlowe sat in her room with her knees drawn up, her chin resting atop her knees. She had managed to check on where the ghost ray nearly got her; all she was a bit of red skin, possibly a burn from the close proximity. Marlowe put a towel under some cold water and pressed it against her side; it stung, but it honestly didn't feel as bad as she thought it did at first.

Once the pain wasn't as bad, Marlowe left the bathroom and locked herself into her room. Vlad was somewhere in the house, and Marlowe didn't care at all where he was. She should've known his whole _"lesson plan"_ would be a disaster from the start.

A tear fell down Marlowe's cheek, causing her to flinch slightly. Marlowe hardly ever allowed herself to cry over what Vlad did to her; she didn't want Vlad coming in on her having a little moment.

Quickly wiping her eyes, Marlowe pursed her lips. She had to figure something out.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter is a bit short, but I was running on creative fumes. School and work has been overwhelming, so I honestly can't say anything other than that. But, hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter anyway.**

 **Do I own anything in the DP universe? No. No I don't.**

 **In case of any confusion on this chapter: it is a flashback to when Marlowe lived with Vlad; she's homeschooled, but Vlad seems to focus more on ghost stuff than anything else; he turns into his ghost half at some point and shoots a ghost ray at Marlowe when she—according to Vlad** **—talks back to him; the ray left a bit of a burn mark on Marlowe's side because of how close it was to her; she doesn't want to cry or anything in front of her father because Marlowe's afraid it would show that what he's saying and doing gets to her. Does that make sense?**

 **Let me know if there's anything else you'd like me to clear up.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	9. Chapter 9

_"Rebellions are built on hope."_ -Jyn Erso; **Star Wars: Rogue One**

* * *

 _Flashback con't._

* * *

What did Marlowe have planned? It was simple. She was going to leave. How she was going to do that? Well, she was still working out the details. But the important thing would be that Vlad wouldn't suspect a thing. It _had_ to happen at a time Vlad would least expect it. Which meant Marlowe would have to keep a _close_ eye on her father's schedule in the most subtle way possible. She couldn't _imagine_ the reaction he'd have if he found her watching him.

In the meantime, Marlowe would be biding her time. Saving as much money as possible without it looking suspicious. Stashing away whatever clothes would be necessary without Vlad choosing to look into the sudden disappearance of outerwear.

 _Only bring what you can, but don't make it too obvious what you're doing._

Marlowe wasn't sure how long she could keep that motto going, but she knew that as long as she had _some_ kind of rule to go by, she'd be OK! Until the perfect opening came, she'd go along with what her father wanted. And, thankfully, Vlad didn't seem to catch onto anything.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

Marlowe's hands grasped the seatbelt tightly as Jack drove like a bat out of hell. It was one thing, knowing Jack and Maddie were ghost fanatics, but when she saw what they _drove_. . . .a shiver of fear ran up her spine. It was a giant mechanized van, and Marlowe could only _begin_ to wonder what the van really had built into it. The van's appearance—big and bulky, looking more of a hazard than anything—had Marlowe wondering why the dangerous looking vehicle was even _allowed_ on the road. Jack and Maddie seemed undisturbed about the vehicle's potential dangers; they seemed to be _enjoying_ all the contraptions the van had to offer.

 _They're crazier than I thought,_ she thought anxiously. _How're they OK with this?!_

The older couple were chatting heartily in the front—more than likely something about ghosts—while Marlowe just tried figuring out a way she could move around without getting injured by something. There were flashing buttons, little antennae poking around, and what looked like lasers angled in awkward positions. Swallowing thickly, Marlowe's hand tightened on the seatbelt.

Somehow, Maddie had convinced Marlowe to go by Amity Park's high school—Casper High—so the teen could get enrolled in school. Despite Marlowe's arguments that she didn't need to be attending school, Maddie wasn't having any of it. She wanted Marlowe to go to school, to meet other kids her age and have the fun most teenagers were experiencing. That made Marlowe extremely anxious. Back in Wisconsin, when she lived with Vlad, _fun_ wasn't in their vocabulary. Vlad had pretty much made it impossible for Marlowe to _genuinely_ find some kind of pleasure out of anything. Friendship wasn't something that Marlowe could establish, going outside just to enjoy a nice day wasn't something Marlowe could experience. She was constantly confined to her home under Vlad's command.

That was why when Maddie said she wanted Marlowe to go out and have fun with other kids her age, it not only startled Marlowe, but also frightened her. She never had that experience before. Marlowe wasn't even sure she had the proper socializing skills. She'd more than likely end up either being made fun of, or she wouldn't be able to properly talk to any of the other kids and end up without any friends. Maybe both outcomes would happen.

 _If those do happen, you can thank Vlad for it._

The thought was hostile, holding malice especially when it came to Vlad's name. It seemed like each thing Marlowe just couldn't stand about herself, it had something to do with her father. It was like he found some kind of enjoyment in bringing her down, making her feel inferior. Had Marlowe's mother not left, would things have been different? Would Marlowe have been in a healthier environment? It made her chest ache, thinking about her missing mother. She hardly remembered her. Vlad had said that the day Marlowe's mother left, she took every single belonging with her.

"She took every article of clothing, every piece of jewelry," he had exclaimed. "It was as if she didn't exist in the end."

 _She didn't take everything with her,_ Marlowe would occasionally think. _She left me._

"Marlowe." Maddie's voice snapped Marlowe out of her thoughts. "Are you excited about this?"

Letting out a sigh, Marlowe shrugged. "I don't know quite yet," she sighed.

"It'll be fine," Maddie exclaimed, a cheerful tone to her voice. "You'll make a lot of friends! Don't worry."

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

It took some careful planning, but Marlowe finally had everything she needed to be able to escape Vlad. She had enough money saved up, she had enough clothing stored without it looking too suspicious, and she had a good idea on Vlad's schedules. For the most part, Vlad kept to himself in his lab, unless Marlowe's company was needed. Which, a majority of the time, was without Marlowe's consent. Occasionally, Vlad would leave the house to go out for his own selfish needs, whatever those needs may be. But he'd be gone for hours at a time. During those absences, Marlowe would do a thorough survey of the house. Were there alarms set up that Marlowe needed to be aware of? Were there any kinds of traps that Marlowe needed to find? Did Vlad have any ghostly henchmen lurking around the house?

For the most part, Marlowe didn't see anything out of the ordinary. But that didn't mean Vlad didn't have anything diabolical in mind. He may very well have a ghost henchman—or hench _men_ —lurking around somewhere in the home. Marlowe would be able to detect them, so they were probably at a considerable distance from herself. That would mean Marlowe would have to be _extremely_ thorough in her search for ghosts in the home. She had to be sure she wasn't leading anyone or any _thing_ to where she'd be staying. She didn't want Vlad knowing anything.

Marlowe had used those absences to do a complete check of Vlad's lab. It was clean, immaculate. She had to be careful not to touch anything. The Portal was always locked, and she knew that Vlad had the passcode for it. Marlowe wasn't going to risk anything when it came to the Portal.

In the end, Marlowe decided she would have to go through with her plan eventually. She couldn't keep stalling forever. If she kept stalling, Marlowe didn't even want to _imagine_ what she'd have to endure.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I would have put this chapter up sooner, but I got distracted by work and school, not to mention my birthday was yesterday, so I had a mini celebration on that. But, I hope you guys found some enjoyment in this chapter! Let me know what you think, OK?**

 **Do I own anything in the DP universe? No. No I don't.**

 **If you've got ideas on anything—whether it's OCs or subplots** **—don't hesitate to let me know. Leave your ideas as reviews or PMs.**

 **Let me know if there's anything confusing I need to clear up on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	10. Chapter 10

_"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."_ -The Emperor of China; **Mulan**

* * *

Casper High was what Marlowe expected in a high school. Well, at least to a degree. Since she was hardly allowed to even leave her old home when she used to live with Vlad, Marlowe wasn't really certain on what something like a public school could even look like. It wasn't like Vlad gave her much of an idea on what it could _possibly_ look like. So, when she found herself standing at the front of the school, watching the students walk by and chat easily and humoredly with their friends, there was not only a pang of envy at their normalcy, but a sense of discomfort at how _normal_ they really were. Had that been the live Marlowe was missing out on? The possibility of an overwhelming sense of normalcy?

"Marlowe, what's the matter?" Maddie turned and looked at Marlowe with a hint of concern in her eyes.

Looking at Maddie, Marlowe pursed her lips. It didn't go unnoticed by Marlowe on the way the students looked at Danny's parents; they were whispering amongst themselves, snickering. Jack and Maddie seemed unconcerned about the snickering and whispering of the students. They were pretty much oblivious to it.

"Uhm, nothing." Trying her best to smile, Marlowe hesitantly walked over to Jack and Maddie, following them into the school.

Marlowe could only hope Casper High would be worth it.

 **. . . .**

It was in-between classes for Danny and his friends, and for some reason there was a collective amount of snickering and whispering among the students. Even more so than usual.

"What's gotten everyone so riled up?" Sam asked, eyeing the other students cautiously.

"I don't know." Danny's brows furrowed. "It's weird."

"Wanna check it out?" Tucker asked.

Sam nodded. "Why not?" she exclaimed. "We've still got time."

For the most part, the trio couldn't find anything out of the ordinary in the halls; but, unfortunately, the closer they got to the front of the school, the more they realized why the students were acting the way they were. Danny's parents, plus Marlowe, had entered school grounds. A heavy, nauseating feeling fell in Danny's stomach. His _parents_ were at the school. All the other kids had parents who were normal — from what he understood, none of them had an embarrassing obsession with ghosts. Why did _his_ have to?

"This is unexpected," Tucker said, a grimace on his face.

"Who's that girl your parents are with?" Sam asked, narrowing her eyes slightly, as if that would help her see Marlowe better. "Is that the girl you were telling us about?"

Danny nodded before letting out a frustrated groan. "Her name's Marlowe," he sighed.

"You don't seem too thrilled about her." Sam crossed her arms over her chest.

"No, it's not _her_ , it's my parents." Slouching his shoulders, Danny frowned deeply. "I don't want anyone making fun of her 'cause of my parents and their obsession with ghosts."

That had been something Danny had quietly worried himself over. Marlowe seemed to be relatively quiet, and it made Danny wonder how the other students — especially Dash and the other popular kids — would treat her. That would be _if_ she was actually attending Casper High.

From what Danny could see, Marlowe held herself in a rather reserved manner. It was like she enjoyed being in the background, not really wanting to be noticed by anyone. Her dark brown hair hung around her face as if to hide it. Her green eyes — which he noticed were a rather dark green — were almost sullen, but also attentive. It was like Marlowe was silently taking in everything around her. That was when he noticed how _pale_ her skin was. It was like she hadn't been outside in months.

"I guess I can see where you're coming from," Sam said. "If anything, Dash or _Paulina_ might make her into their new chew toy."

It was true. For Dash, given Danny's history on being the jock's punching bag since what seemed like forever, Danny undoubtedly knew that Marlowe may be subjected to some kind of bullying from the football player. As for Paulina, despite his infatuation with her, Danny had to admit there was a good chance of something not good happening.

"What do you think?" Tucker asked. "Should we help her out?"

"She doesn't even go here," Danny said. "There's nothing we can do until she does."

" _If_ she does," Sam said. "If I were in her shoes, I'd run out of here as fast as I could."

Before the topic could be discussed any further, the bell rang, causing the trio to tense for a moment before running off to their classes.

 **. . . .**

She was aware of every stare that was being thrown her way. She was aware of the whisperings and the snickers. Marlowe had a bad feeling already. She didn't _want_ to go to the high school, but Jack and Maddie were adamant that she get an education.

"So, Ms. Atkins, you're from Wisconsin?" The principal, an Asian woman named Ms. Ishiyama, looked at Marlowe in a very professional manner. Jack and Maddie made it very clear that they wanted to speak to her. Marlowe nodded silently. Ms. Ishiyama nodded before looking at the older couple with reluctance. "You understand we can't accept Marlowe into this school without her previous school records, right?"

"We should be able to get them," Maddie exclaimed, waving her hand in a positively dismissive fashion. "Right, sweetie?" She looked at Jack with a good amount of optimism.

Marlowe winced. She'd lied about being in foster care in order to be able to live with the Fentons. If they tried at all to contact any child services to obtain school records in Wisconsin, they'd find out the truth. She'd be sent back to Wisconsin, back to Vlad. Not to mention that, legally, Jack and Maddie weren't Marlowe's guardians, so they wouldn't be able to obtain any personal information on her.

"That's right!" Jack exclaimed.

"If you want Marlowe to attend Casper High, you'll have to do it soon." Ms. Ishiyama sat back in her seat with a solemn look on her face. "We need to know where to place her academically."

Looking between the three adults somberly, Marlowe knew she'd come to regret her decision. Manipulating Jack and Maddie had been enough to make Marlowe feel some guilt on her actions; but manipulating them a _second_ time, along with the principal? Marlowe was _seriously_ going to be paying for it later. The manipulation that took place made it so Marlowe was seen as an average freshman in high school; normal on the academic scale, nothing too extraordinary or unpleasant. She was. . . .normal. That seemed to do the trick.

Ms. Ishiyama blinked for a moment before straightening herself in her seat. "Well, uhm, Marlowe can start as soon as possible," she stammered, sounding almost confused. "We'll have a schedule worked out. Bring her by the day after tomorrow for her first day."

 _Fantastic._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **How was this chapter? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? I'd like to know what you guys think! That's the important part of writing stories for me.**

 **Do I own anything in the DP universe? No. No I don't.**

 **As a heads up, what's going on right now — Marlowe adjusting to living with the Fentons and whatnot** **— takes place prior to Danny getting his ghost powers. So, as of now in the story, he doesn't have them yet. I'm kind of building up to when he does.**

 **Also, if you've got OCs or subplots you'd like to see written into the story, don't hesitate to tell me. Send me your ideas as reviews or PMs.**

 **If there's any confusion on this chapter, leave a review or PM me and I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	11. Chapter 11

_"And with his sword up raised for the slaughter,_

 _Abraham's daughter raised her voice,_

 _'How darest you, child, defy your father?'_

 _'You better let young Isaac go'...,"_

-Abraham's Daughter; **by Arcade Fire**

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Marlowe dug through her room for her backpack. She kept it as far away from Vlad's view as possible. She didn't want him knowing her intentions. He'd been in the Ghost Zone for a better part of the morning, and Marlowe was going to use his absence to leave. She'd done a thorough enough sweep of the house to know that there were no ghosts hiding _any_ where. Marlowe was _not_ leaving without having checked first.

 _He'll probably be on his way back any minute now,_ she thought hurriedly, pulling her backpack out from its hiding spot. Marlowe checked to make sure everything was in its place — it was an unconscious habit on her part, but also something she knew had to be done. Marlowe's room was already expected to be squeaky clean anyway. If _one thing_ was out of place, Vlad would catch on and Marlowe's entire cover would be blown. She couldn't risk that.

Shrugging her backpack onto her shoulders, Marlowe sent out enough energy to give her a warning when a ghost could be nearby. It didn't matter that she inspected the house as thoroughly as possible, she wasn't taking any risks.

Peaking out into the hallway, Marlowe pursed her lips, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't sense anything, which was a relief. Quietly making her way down the hall, Marlowe held the straps of her backpack tightly in her hands. That backpack was her lifeline, she needed to know it was real, that what she was doing was actually _happening_.

 _You'll be getting out! That's the important thing. Vlad's not gonna know what hit him once he knows you're gone._

But the real question was what he would _do_ once he realized she was gone. He'd more than likely send some kind of ghostly henchmen to go find her, which meant that she'd probably have to spend the rest of her life running. It seemed a little overdramatic, but it was still a strong possibility. If Marlowe ran, she could alert authorities; it wouldn't matter anyway. Vlad could pay them off. Did Vlad really think that Marlowe would alert authorities on what went on? The area of Wisconsin they lived in didn't even _have_ a ghost problem, so if she went on to say her father made her endure grueling ghost training sessions along with some mistreatment, they'd think she had serious issues. Vlad kept his Portal locked tightly. He wouldn't let out a ghost unless it benefited _him_ in some way.

Shaking her head, Marlowe tried keeping herself focused. She couldn't distract herself.

Walking down the main stairway and to the front door, Marlowe hesitated. She was starting to second guess herself. Despite all the mistreatment Marlowe got from her father, Vlad was still her _father_. He had been the only parent Marlowe ever knew, even if she didn't want to view him as a parent.

Pursing her lips, Marlowe opened the front door. It had taken her so long to get to where she was. Marlowe couldn't go second guessing herself.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

Sitting in the guest room, Marlowe had her back pressed against the farthest wall, her knees drawn up with her arms wrapped around them. After returning to the Fenton household, Marlowe found herself feeling. . . .odd. It was like a mixture of anxiety, nausea, and exhaustion. It wasn't a pleasant experience. _Why_ had Maddie been so determined to enroll Marlowe in school? It wasn't like she was going to do well anyway.

 _You're beating yourself down before you give it a chance,_ a voice in the back of her mind whispered. _When you left Vlad, didn't you want a normal life? This school could be the beginning of it._

Marlowe didn't _want it_ to be. She didn't know how she was going to interact with the other students. She didn't know how well she'd do in the required subjects. She didn't know _anything_.

 _You're being dramatic. You'll do fine._

Scowling, Marlowe tightened her grip on her legs. _How_ was she going to do fine? Being the new kid in school sounded dreadful.

 _Maybe you could hang out with Danny?_

The idea sounded terrible. Didn't he have friends of his own? Why would he want to be caught with her? Besides, she had no idea what Danny's friends thought of her, if he even told them about her at all. No, Marlowe wouldn't fit in with Danny's friends. Or Jazz's. She may as well get used to being alone. Again.

A knock on the closed bedroom door snapped Marlowe out of her thoughts. Looking at the door intently, Marlowe considered not saying anything. She wasn't in the mood to be interacting with anyone. It didn't matter to her if she was being rude, she just wanted to simmer a little in her self pity and angst.

"Marlowe?" Danny's voice came from the other end, sounding worried. When had Danny come home? "I came to see if you were OK. You _are_ OK, right?" There was a slight pause. "Can I come in?"

"I'm fine," she answered, her voice flat.

"A-Are you sure?" he stammered. "You've been in there for a while. My parents are getting worried."

 _Then let them worry._ Marlowe didn't have the guts to say that. "I'm fine," she repeated, hoping she sounded a little more convincing.

There was a long pause, and Marlowe hoped Danny had left. As sweet as he seemed to be, she wasn't really in the mood to deal with him. In all honesty, depending on how long she stayed with the Fentons, she probably wouldn't be in the mood to deal with him for the next four years. The more cynical part of Marlowe's mind had taken over for the time being. And it was wrecking havoc on a lot of problems in Marlowe's head.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know I should've had this chapter up sooner, but school and work have been a complete nightmare. I had a presentation I needed to get put together and I was getting behind on other classwork, so I needed the time to get everything organized the best I could. Don't even get me started on work, either. Yesterday had been a complete disaster, so completing this chapter was the last thing on my mind. Nevertheless, I have finished writing this chapter and now it is up. If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot you'd like written into the story, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review.**

 **Do I own DP? No. No I don't.**

 **Since for now, the story's going into before Danny got his powers, there's going to be a lot of secrecy on Marlowe's end on the existence of ghosts. Danny isn't really fond of his parents' obsession with ghosts, and it seems like he isn't entirely one to believe in something like that. Despite everything else she's keeping from the Fentons and company, how well do you guys think Marlowe will do in keeping ghosts a secret from Danny and his parents? Not to mention her powers. She's used them twice and no one seems to notice. And do you think Marlowe should be around the day Danny gains his ghost powers? Last question; you guys remember Danielle, right? Danny's female clone, his "cousin"? Since she considered Vlad her "father" and Danny her "cousin", what would that make Marlowe? What do you guys think?**

 **I know those are a lot of questions, and I have a few ideas on how some of those could go down. I just want to know what you guys think. That's the important thing, in my opinion.**

 **If something came off as confusing, let me know and I'll explain it the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	12. Chapter 12

_"Dear God, sorry to disturb you but,_

 _I feel that I should be heard loud and clear,_

 _We all need a big reduction in the amount of tears,_

 _And all the people that you made in your image,_

 _See them fighting in the street,_

 _'Cause they can't make opinions meet,_

 _About God...,"_

-Dear God; **by Lawless [feat. Sydney Wayser]**

* * *

Marlowe's eyes were locked on the closed door in front of her. She could still feel Danny's presence on the other end, and she had to wonder how long he'd be willing to stand there. Her arms tightened around her legs, her lips pressed together into a scowl.

 _He's getting ready to leave,_ she thought. Did she want him in the guest room? He'd probably start asking questions. She wasn't ready for questioning. Did he see her with his parents earlier? A good portion of the student body had. There was no doubt in Marlowe's mind that she'd be given a load of grief over that.

"Are you still there?" she called, silently praying he was already gone.

"Yeah." The sound of Danny's voice made her wince. He _did_ sound concerned, and Marlowe _was_ grateful for it. But...she just couldn't find it in her to really appreciate it.

"I guess you can come in if you want."

There was a moment of silence, and Marlowe wondered if Danny left. Not that she would've minded. Danny seemed like a nice kid, but Marlowe had to wonder if he would be the kind of person to mind his own business or if he'd be the kind to butt in when he wasn't needed. Marlowe remembered living with one small family before coming to Amity Park; they were nice enough, just too nosey for Marlowe's taste. She didn't last long in that household.

When the door opened — very cautiously — Marlowe took note to how Danny looked tense and ready to bolt at any given moment. He was almost like a frightened animal, in Marlowe's mind. Though it wasn't like she didn't feel the same way.

"I-I'm sorry to intrude," he stammered, looking at her carefully, "it's just m-my parents — _we_ were getting worried."

"I said I was fine." Marlowe narrowed her eyes just a fraction. "Thank you for the concern."

"Uhm. . . .," he stammered, looking around the guest room quickly. "I-If you ever need help with anything, you can always ask me."

Nodding, Marlowe tried for a smile. "I appreciate it," she said. Nodding himself, Danny turned to leave, his hand grabbing at the doorknob as he was getting ready to close the door. "Danny," Marlowe called, stopping him halfway out the door. "I appreciate everything you guys have done for me."

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Standing at the front porch, Marlowe couldn't help but feel anger at herself for hesitating. _Why_ was she hesitating? Wasn't this the moment she prepared herself for? Looking up at the sky, Marlowe saw that it was relatively blue, only with a few grey clouds. The sun was partially out, but there was a cool morning breeze. It felt like forever since she felt what the outside was like. The air was fresh, better than the musky, stale air inside Vlad's.

Turning partially, Marlowe looked at the closed front door. Was she hesitating because of the home? Did she want to go back inside? Marlowe didn't _want_ to, but there was some unconscious _tug_ inside her, telling her she had to go back.

 _Think about how angry he'll get,_ a voice in the back of her head whispered. _He'll yell and scream and shout. How far can you get before he finds you? You've forgotten, haven't you? He's Vlad Masters. He's got money, a Ghost Portal, ghost powers. There's not a place on Earth you can't go where he can't find you._

Shaking her head, Marlowe tried shoving that voice down. She couldn't afford to think like that. Not after all the hard work she put in to get where she was. Marlowe put _everything_ at risk to put her plan into motion. The time it took her to get to where she was put such an emotional strain on her, Marlowe was certain she'd break mentally before she broke out. Vlad had ruined his daughter's life; putting his own interests above those of the few people around him. Vlad used all kinds of tactics to get what he wanted, and Marlowe couldn't stand it anymore.

 _All those years of having to deal with his crap,_ she thought bitterly, _and now I'm finally being given the chance to leave. I am not waiting any longer._

With no time at all, Marlowe straightened her shoulders, set her jaw, and turned invisible.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

Eventually, Marlowe had made her way downstairs for dinner. She didn't want the Fentons worrying anymore than necessary. She was in no mood to be dealing with it.

As it would turn out, Marlowe couldn't find the patience to deal with the Fentons' eccentricity — mostly coming from Maddie and Jack — when it came to ghosts and their latest inventions. Needless to say, Jazz seemed very unhappy with her parents' choice of topic, and Danny seemed to be trying to tune them out.

Marlowe tried to eat as much of the food as she would deem necessary — she didn't want to deal with questions as to why she wasn't eating enough — before excusing herself for the night. It seemed like they weren't entirely pleased with Marlowe's leave, but Marlowe tried not to let it bother her. While she would've wanted to be confined to her room, Marlowe actually wanted to do more inspecting of the house. Especially to the area where Jack and Maddie were supposedly building their Ghost Portal.

That had taking Marlowe's interest the most.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the late posting, I was trying to do homework while finishing this chapter. I know it's shorter compared to some of the other chapters, but hopefully you guys enjoy it anyway.**

 **Do I own anything in DP? No. No I don't.**

 **If the whole jumping between the past and the present becomes a little annoying, just know that I won't be doing it for every single chapter. Once I finish with the whole Marlowe escaping Vlad, etc., etc., etc., I'll stop with the flashbacks. As for now, just know this kind of writing won't be permanent.**

 **Anywho, the Super Bowl is over. The Patriots won. I had work so I didn't see it, I only heard about it. I have heard that the second season of _STRANGER THINGS_ will be coming out on Halloween, for anyone who's a fan of the show. I also heard that there was some TV spot/trailer #2 for _TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT_ , for those of you who are fans of the movie adaptation of that franchise. I'm sure there were plenty of other good trailers/TV spots for other movies and everything, but those are the ones I can think of for now. Also, for those of you who only watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show, how was the performance? Wasn't it Lady Gaga who performed this year? I don't know.**

 **On another note, if you've got ideas for future chapters — OCs or subplots, stuff like that** **— be sure to leave a review or PM me.**

 **If something came off as confusing, let me know and I'll explain it the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan.**


	13. Chapter 13

_"I think you end up doing the stuff you were supposed to do at the time you were supposed to do it."_ -Robert Downey Jr.

* * *

Marlowe made sure to be very careful when she turned intangible. If the Fentons had any sensitive ghost gadgets — and from the looks of it, they _did_ — Marlowe wasn't going to be setting them off. After she closed the guest room door, she quickly turned intangible and made her way to find the laboratory. Though, in all honesty, it didn't take long for her to find it. And, from what she could gather, it didn't really _look_ like a laboratory. It was just a messy basement with a half-finished Portal at the end.

The Portal. There were wires poking around from various spots, piles of metal scattered around it, plus some tools that were haphazardly placed in various spots. Not to mention the fact that the structure of the Portal looked a tad sloppy. At least with Vlad's, it had a stable looking structure, everything look to be in its place. Jack's and Maddie's was. . . .concerning at least. But that was Marlowe's thinking. Unlike the Fentons or her father, she wasn't some expert mechanic; heck, she couldn't even figure out how to take apart and put together a basic technological device if someone drew it out for her.

Pursing her lips just a little, Marlowe continued to study the partially finished Portal before deciding she'd seen all she wanted for the time being and phasing back to the guest room. Once she was secure, she knelt down by her bed to get her backpack. Unzipping it, she pulled out a journal she had, where she'd keep all the important details of what she'd done since leaving Vlad. Opening it to the next blank page, Marlowe quickly scribbled down a single sentence. _They're working on a Portal, too._ Closing the journal, Marlowe stuffed it back in her backpack before shoving it under the bed. Sighing, Marlowe stayed knelt by her bed for a long moment before deciding she would actually go to bed. Her investigation had been brief, but it had only been the beginning.

 **. . . .**

The next morning seemed to arrive far too quickly for Marlowe's taste. It felt as if her sleep had been cut short, despite having beyond a full night's rest. Nevertheless, Marlowe reluctantly got out of bed before anyone could wake her up, taking a moment to just lay in bed and gather herself before continuing her day. After getting out of bed and making it, she quickly got dressed and went down to get some breakfast.

Maddie and Jack were nowhere to be seen or heard, so Marlowe could only assume they were in their laboratory working on something.

 _Whatever can keep them occupied,_ she thought.

Going into the kitchen, Marlowe got out a bowl, some cereal, and a carton of milk from the fridge and made a quick breakfast. she didn't want to go wasting time fixing an elaborate breakfast, not to mention that she didn't want to make a huge mess in a home that wasn't technically hers. Cereal was quick and not as messy as a huge, elaborate breakfast would be.

After putting everything away once her breakfast had been completed, Marlowe sat at the kitchen table and started to silently eat her food. She made a mental note to wash her dishes once she finished. It was one thing to manipulate the Fentons into letting her stay, it was _another_ completely different situation when she started making messes in their home and not cleaning up.

For a majority of the morning, she hadn't heard a word from Danny _or_ his sister — though Danny's sister hadn't really made much of an attempt to communicate with her — so she could only assume they were at school. That was when it dawned on Marlowe — tomorrow would be her official first day of school. What was she going to expect? Would she be bullied? Would she be left alone? What about Danny and his friends, would they let her hang out with them? She had all these questions she wanted answers to, but at the same time she didn't want to think about it.

Staring at the bowl of cereal in front of her, Marlowe found she couldn't continue eating. She'd lost her appetite.

Standing up, Marlowe poured the remainder of her breakfast in the kitchen sink and cleaned up her mess.

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Walking down the front porch and down the driveway of the mansion, Marlowe kept her pace quick and her gaze straight ahead. She couldn't afford to get distracted by anything, even if she was trying to be hyperaware of anything abnormal around her. Marlowe had to keep herself calm, she had to be collected. If she freaked out, she may do something destructive, something idiotic, that could alert Vlad to her activities, if he hadn't been alerted already.

Quickening her pace just a little, Marlowe kept her gaze on the front gates of the driveway; a big iron gate that wrapped around Vlad's big property, dwarfing in comparison to how big his house — though it looked more like some poorly made medieval castle in Marlowe's opinion — stood. Vlad made sure to keep an encoded device that only he knew the password to; that was how he entered and left the property. Since hardly any guests ever came by his home, Vlad never thought to give the password out to anyone else. Not even Marlowe knew the password. But that was going to change.

For as long as Marlowe could remember, she believed that not knowing the password to the front gates only ensured that she could never leave. It made her aware of just how much of a prisoner she really was. Vlad didn't want his daughter to ever leave, to ever think she could find the courage to do so. He lowered Marlowe's self-worth, making her think she could only be useful when it came to her father's needs.

 _And to think he couldn't figure out what I was doing this whole time,_ she thought bitterly. The closer she got to the gate, the more she felt her heart pounding in her chest. It was almost painful. Swallowing thickly, Marlowe tried to find a way to calm herself down, but it was becoming more difficult once she was close to the gates itself.

 _Just walk. That's all you need to do,_ the little voice in her head whispered. _You don't have to open the gate, you don't have to worry about setting any alarms off. All you need to do is walk._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter isn't the best, but hopefully you guys find it interesting nonetheless. Let me know in the reviews.**

 **I own nothing in this franchise.**

 **Do you have an idea on future updates? Do you have an OC you'd like to see written into the story? PM me or leave a review.**

 **If there's something that came off as confusing, let me know and I'll explain it the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	14. Chapter 14

_"Nature made me a freak. Man made me a weapon. And God made it last too long."_ -Logan/"Wolverine" **(Logan movie)**

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

The front gate still looked as if it were looming over Marlowe's form. She tried finding it in her to move, but she felt paralyzed, terrified. Would it really be real if she just took that step forward? How would Vlad react? Should she go back? Marlowe didn't want to deal with him being angry, but she didn't _want to deal with him being angry_. Did she face his anger or get away from it?

 _You get away from it,_ the little voice pressed on. _You're not about to waste all those months preparing for this moment just because you got scared! Vlad's the reason you're leaving. He's the reason you're like this, and you're willing to back?!_

Chewing on her bottom lip, Marlowe tried to find her nerve. She had it originally, where had it gone?

 _Just go. Please, just go..._

Feeling a sting of tears in the back of her eyes, Marlowe took a step forward and phased through the gate.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

Maddie had insisted on school shopping. It was something Marlowe didn't want to do, but there would be no way to argue herself out of Maddie's goal. In no way whatsoever was Marlowe Atkins ready to go to school. Public school seemed emotionally and physically draining, but a part of Marlowe had wanted to experience what public school would be like. She made sure to keep her expectations very low; with the way Casper Highs seemed when Marlowe went with Jack and Maddie, it didn't seem like it was the best place out there. Sure, it was better than most of the schools she had to attend with previous families or couples she stayed with, but it wasn't anything that seemed worth her time. And no matter what Marlowe said, it wouldn't change the Fentons' minds. She had to attend and that was final.

"How are you on clothes?" Maddie looked back at Marlowe expectantly, having gone into full mother mode. It was strange for Marlowe, seeing a woman she barely knew act all maternal with her. With having no recollection of her biological mother, Marlowe wasn't sure what to expect when it came to Danny's mother. Marlowe was aware of Maddie's eccentricity, of her dedication to ghosts, and her intelligence; she just wasn't aware of how she could be in a motherly way.

"I, uh, don't have much on me," Marlowe muttered.

Maddie instantly looked at her, looking almost a little horrified at the response. It was true though; Marlowe didn't have the luxuries of bringing everything she wanted with her, she had time to only bring what was necessary. What wouldn't draw Vlad's attention. Marlowe wanted to be efficient enough to be able to survive once she left. Sure, she brought a few clothes that some of the other families had gotten her, but not enough. She didn't want to bring _too_ much, she didn't want those things to take up space.

"Well, that is not OK." Maddie's voice had taken on that no-nonsense motherly tone; something that sounded almost foreign. It was an odd feeling, something she just couldn't find herself adjusting to. But she put on a solemn expression and nodded, knowing better than to argue. "I think I saw some clothes that..."

"I think I can do it," Marlowe said politely, hoping she wasn't coming off as offensive. "I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Fenton, but I think I'll be fine with clothing shopping."

"Oh honey, you don't need to use all those formalities," she chuckled. "You can call me Maddie. It's fine with me."

With a silent nod and a tight smile, Marlowe walked down some aisles — Maddie had taken the two of them to a small clothing store in town — and absently looked at what the store had to offer. She wasn't really paying much attention, even though she knew she had to. If Maddie was suggesting to pick out clothes, then it had to be bad.

 _Her and Jack wear jumpsuits all the time; no way am I allowing Maddie to pick out my clothes._ Stopping in front of where some jeans were, Marlowe found herself halfheartedly looking through them. Picking up a pair of jeans that looked around her size, Marlowe looked it over, pretending something about it caught her interest. She wanted to put up a front for Maddie.

"Do you like that?" Maddie's voice caused Marlowe to jump. "I think it'll look cute on you."

Looking at the pants closely, Marlowe actually took the time to pay attention to it. "You think?" she murmured.

"Of course. I'll get it for you."

 **. . . .**

How was Marlowe supposed to feel? How was she supposed to react? A family she's barely been living a month with has offered her shelter — despite a little manipulation — and some clothes. Was Marlowe supposed to be grateful? Sure, she knew she was supposed to. Being grateful meant she cared, but at the same time, it was too early for her to tell. Was she supposed to be...what? What was Marlowe supposed to be?

Looking at the clothes and school items in front of her, Marlowe frowned deeply. She wanted to feel something, anything, but it was too soon. The Fentons had yet to really earn her trust, despite how kind and generous they had been.

Despite how she manipulated them.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter took a bit to get up, but here it is. It's not a super long chapter, but hopefully you guys find something meaningful or whatever out of it. Just let me know what you think, OK? That's the important thing.**

 **Do I own anything in the DP universe? No. Absolutely not.**

 **So, as of today, I am finished with finals and my winter quarter is officially over. I'm on spring break so I'll be able to have time over break to update more chapters. If you've got suggestions for future updates, don't hesitate to let me know. If you've got subplots, don't hesitate to let me know! I like knowing what kinds of things you guys want added to the story.**

 **Plus, I know I am probably a little late to this, but I guess there was some kind of Danny Phantom/Fairly Odd Parents crossover? I don't know. But was that really a thing?**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	15. Chapter 15

_"Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew,_

 _When I bit off more than I could chew,_

 _But through it all, when there was doubt,_

 _I ate it up and spit it out,_

 _I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way...,"_

-My Way; **by Frank Sinatra**

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Standing on the other end of the gate, it felt surreal. There was no one there to stop Marlowe from leaving. No ghosts, not Vlad — she was feeling overwhelmed. There was a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to go back, that if she kept going forward she'd be the victim of her father's true wrath. Marlowe saw on multiple occasions what happened when Vlad got _really_ angry. It wasn't pleasant. Whether it was from a ghost client that didn't follow through with their end of the bargain, or it was something Vlad blamed Marlowe for, Vlad's true wrath was almost heart-stopping it was so terrifying.

 _Don't turn back,_ she reminded herself. _Don't even think about turning back. You can't afford to. This shouldn't even be a discussion. You've made it through the front gate; just keep moving._

Taking a hesitant step, and still invisible, Marlowe started walking. She didn't want to make herself visible just yet, not when she was still so close to the mansion. If Vlad managed to come back and see her standing outside the front gate, it would only end in disaster. So, still invisible, Marlowe kept walking. And she walked for miles, far outside the city, before she transformed and decided flying would be a better option than walking.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

What was acceptable social behavior? What was appropriate to say in front of a teacher? Was it normal to not find the assigned classes on the first day? Those were the questions going through Marlowe's mind as she stood in front of Casper High. Everything that led up to that moment caused an anxiousness to roll its way through Marlowe's stomach. It made her ill. Jazz had been generous enough to give her brother and new housemate a ride to school, and she was buzzing Marlowe on all kinds of questions — what were her parents like? Why'd she leave them? Where was she from?

Danny had to beg Jazz to stop before it got "too out of hand". Though it wasn't like Marlowe was going to answer them anyway. But, thankfully, Danny didn't give her a chance to even open her mouth.

"Are you doing okay?" The youngest Fenton stood next to Marlowe, watching her closely. After Jazz had gone off to do who-knows-what, that left Danny and Marlowe to go off and do whatever. But Marlowe didn't do that, not yet at least. She wanted to keep a visual of Casper High in her brain. It was a two story school, good for the number of kids and teachers. There were multiple windows, obviously. When she looked at Danny, seeing the confused and slightly concerned look on his face, she nodded wordlessly. "You've been standing here for a while," Danny said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"If I wasn't, I'd let you know," she responded, keeping her tone somewhat flat. "I'm just taking a moment to process everything."

"Haven't you been to public school before?" The question was innocent. There was no judgment behind it, no malice or mockery. Danny's curiosity stemmed from the fact that the Fentons knew little to nothing on Marlowe's life. Marlowe understood that questions would come from them and she'd have to figure out quickly what she'd have to say so she wouldn't give up her true intentions.

"I was homeschooled."

Danny's brows shot up. "What was that like?" he asked.

 _Awful._ "I don't really have an opinion on it," she answered. "What's it like here?"

"It's decent, I guess." The uncertainty that was in Danny's voice made Marlowe look at him with a deep frown. "I'm not exactly the most popular guy here," he sighed, "so it's not like I can say it's awesome here."

"So public school is all about popularity?" Marlowe's lips pursed. "Is everyone that shallow?"

"Not _everyone_ thinks about popularity as the only thing that matters. My friend, Sam, isn't really in to mainstream things, she thinks it's a waste of time and energy."

"Do you agree with her?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "I want to fit in, but it's hard. I do the best I can, though."

Marlowe hummed in response. There was a moment of silence before she decided to speak again. "If you want to go to your friends, you can," she said firmly. "I don't want to hold you up."

"You're not," he exclaimed. "I can show you around, if that's okay with you."

 **. . . .**

Danny was useful in helping Marlowe find her classes. She was grateful for his willingness to stay by her side, but she had to wonder if it was out of pity or if he genuinely wanted to be in her company. The idea of being pitied caused a disgusting feeling to rise up in Marlowe, which in turn dampened her already cynical mood. Even though it was too soon for Marlowe to have any genuine opinion on Danny, she knew she didn't want to dislike him over something as petty as pity. Instead, she chose to push aside whatever negative emotions were dwindling in the back of her mind that seemed to focus unjustly on Danny. She'd give him the benefit of the doubt, considering how helpful he and his family had been.

* * *

 _Back in Wisconsin_

* * *

Needless to say, saying Vlad had been unhappy over the disappearance of his daughter was a great understatement. He was _furious_. He'd had his suspicions that Marlowe was up to something, but he didn't feel it was necessary to look into it. Marlowe wasn't exactly an open child, and he preferred it that way. Vlad couldn't bother himself with a child who became upset over every little thing that happened.

But her disappearance was something he hadn't expected. Cross that out — part of him _could_ see that happening, but he didn't really think Marlowe would _act_ on it.

After going on a bit of a rampage in the Ghost Zone over the situation, Vlad decided he'd find some ghostly henchmen who'd be willing to track down his suddenly rebellious daughter. If word got out on the things that went on in the Masters household, certainly Vlad's reputation would be ruined. He couldn't allow that. He _couldn't_. After finding a reasonable number of ghosts who volunteered — by force, mind you — Vlad had them go out to find Marlowe.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know — this chapter's long overdue. But mind you, I was busy with schoolwork. This new quarter's kicking my butt, honestly. Anywho, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I know it's been a little while since I've uploaded a new chapter, but I'll try and upload more frequently** **— as in, whenever I get the time between work and school.**

 **Do I own the DP fandom? No. Sadly, I do not.**

 **If you've got OCs or subplots you'd like to have written into the story, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review, okay? If you've got constructive criticism, let me know! That's super important.**

 **Also, I'm sure I've mentioned it in previous chapters, but these filler chapters take place before Danny got his powers. So, the little moment where Danny gets his ghost powers will be coming up eventually; I don't know when, but I can guarantee it'll be coming up soon.**

 **So, yeah.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and show someone some appreciation.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	16. Chapter 16

_"There's a lot of pretty, pretty ones,_

 _That want to get you high,_

 _But all the pretty, pretty ones,_

 _Will leave you low and blow your mind...,"_

-The Dope Show; **by Marilyn Manson**

* * *

 _Casper High_

* * *

Public school. It was something _very_ different than the homeschooling Marlowe endured. The first time she visited Casper High, she had her expectations low, in case she were to be disappointed on her first day. But as she and Danny made their way into the school, with the youngest Fenton giving a brief tour of the main entrance, Marlowe found herself wondering — why did she even agree to do this in the first place? Was public school something she really wanted? Maddie insisted that she go, to get the proper education someone her age needed. It didn't settle well with Marlowe. She was witnessing kids her age interacting, walking to and from classrooms and bathrooms and other halls; they seemed average and boring and completely, utterly _human_. It was. . . . _disgusting_.

Was Marlowe supposed to be happy she was attending Casper High? Was she supposed to feel ecstatic? All she was feeling was dread and disinterest. There was nothing good about Casper High, from what Marlowe could tell in those brief moments.

Glancing around at the other students, Marlowe watched as they interacted with each other. They were talking, laughing, whispering, maybe walking quietly and enjoying each others' company. That seemed like normal responses when being with friends. Marlowe never encountered that before — Vlad didn't like her having friends, he didn't want her interacting with anyone outside the mansion. He was very protective of his work, and he didn't want anyone catching on to what he was doing behind closed doors.

Marlowe's gaze went to Danny. He didn't seem all that interested in the school either, his gaze seeming dull and tired, and school hadn't even started yet. His tone was unenthusiastic, and his shoulders were hunched, as if to make himself look smaller. Occasionally, he'd point to a hallway or a classroom or somewhere else and give brief explanations on what was down there, who taught in that specific classroom, and the teachers were like. From what she could gather, Danny's least favorite teacher was someone named Mr. Lancer, who was rather hard on him and seemed to praise the more... _well_ _liked_ students; such as the school quarterback, Dash Baxter. Marlowe caught a hint of disdain in Danny's voice at the mention of Dash, and Marlowe had to wonder if the two had any kind hostilities towards each other.

"Are you okay?" Danny's voice snapped Marlowe out of her thoughts. She didn't visibly jump, but she was startled at the abruptness of the question. When she looked over at him, she gave a small nod. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I. . . .You just look really uncomfortable."

"This is new to me," she sighed, "I don't think I'm supposed to feel comfortable just yet."

When the bell rang, Danny and Marlowe looked at each other for a brief period of time. "What's your first class?" he asked, motioning her to get her schedule out.

 **. . . .**

Danny showed Marlowe to her first class, despite his knowledge of being late to his. For Marlowe, she thanked him, and watched as he walked to wherever his first class would be. Looking back at the door of her first class, Marlowe swallowed thickly before grabbing the knob and opening it.

She felt her heart jump in her throat when all the eyes in the classroom turned to look at her.

* * *

 _Unknown Location_

* * *

Edith Braxton sat on the edge of her bed, looking at a small picture of her daughter. It had been nine years since she saw her, and those nine years were the worst years of her life. She hadn't been able to send a card, write a letter, or even _call_ — all thanks to the agreement she had with her ex-husband. The agreement itself was for Edith either pack up and leave, to never see her daughter again; or she'd have to deal with very. . . . _unpleasant_ consequences as a result. Her _and_ her daughter. It took a lot of heavy thinking for Edith to come to a conclusion, and it was the most heartbreaking decision in her life.

When she had to tell Marlowe she was leaving, she felt like she was going to burst into tears. She didn't want to cry in front her daughter, not if she could help it, but Marlowe was making it difficult on her.

Taking a shaky breath, she tried calming herself down. Reminiscing about the day she left was the last thing she wanted to do.

Putting the picture down, Edith tried steadying herself, trying to stop any tears from forming around her eyelashes. She couldn't allow herself to cry, not at that moment. For the past nine years, she had been building herself up, hoping to become stronger and more confident. Edith's marriage to Vlad had done a number to her, bringing her self-image, her self-esteem, every little thing about her down. The _only_ reason the two agreed to marry in the first place was because Edith had announced she was pregnant with Vlad's child. Vlad Masters was a proud man, he valued his image above all else. If his connections to the rich and famous found out he abandoned a pregnant ex-lover, certainly there'd be issues. There was no doubt in Edith's mind those wealthy men Vlad associated themselves with had a whole list of extramarital affairs on them, but Vlad had been single at the time she briefly hooked up with him.

Their relationship was simple — whenever they were together, or in the same area — they'd spend some _quality_ time together as long as they were both feeling it.

At the time Edith announced her pregnancy, Vlad was in the middle of a big deal with a company, and when the executives found out, that put a lot of pressure on Vlad himself. In the end, the two got married — though it wasn't healthy in the slightest — and ended up being thrown into parenthood very unprepared and very rapidly. Neither of them held the slightest clue on what to do with a newborn, though Edith came to understand her "husband" wasn't at all invested like she was. While their marriage seemed to be on eggshells to begin with, Edith was willing to make it work because of the baby. That had been another addition to a long list of mistakes involving Vlad.

Taking another shaky breath, Edith wiped her eyes. She hadn't even noticed the tears. Swallowing thickly, Edith straightened her shoulders and brushed her hair out of her face. She wasn't going to bring herself down, not when she had spent so much time trying to make herself better.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Hey-yo, everyone! How've you guys been lately? I know it's probably been a bit since I've updated a chapter, but I hope you guys found this interesting. I put in a bit involving Marlowe's mother, which I hope you guys found decent. If you've got any constructive criticism you'd like to share, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I think that's important. Also, let me know if something comes off as confusing or uncertain or awkwardly written. I don't tend to proof-read the final results before I submit it so just let me know, OK?**

 **Do I own anything in the DANNY PHANTOM franchise? No. No I do not.**

 **If any of you guys have an OC or a subplot you'd like added into the story, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. I'll add it in as soon as possible.**

 **Also, as a head's up for y'all, I am starting summer quarter on July 5th, which is just a couple days from today. Since I don't really update very frequently to begin with, I just want to let you guys know that with school and work, I won't be updating hardly at all. Since it's officially summer and all, my job's been increasing my hours. Just an FYI for anyone who's curious.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and for those of you celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow _PLEASE_ be careful! You don't want to hurt yourself or anything/anyone around you.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	17. Chapter 17

_"You think winning game is good thing? You just go home and be bored and neglected, same as always. We will listen to you, and laugh with you. If you stay here, you can have whatever you want...always."_

-Other Mr. Bobinsky; **from Coraline (2009)**

* * *

 _Casper High_

* * *

Marlowe felt her heart jump in her throat. Every single eye in the classroom was looking at her with such intensity, that Marlowe nauseas. She hoped she didn't outwardly show how anxious she was starting to feel. While Casper High wasn't the _biggest_ public school Marlowe attended, it certainly wasn't _small_. She noticed right away the number of students just before school started, and that alone could intimidate anyone. And in that moment, looking at all those students — even the teacher, who was looking Marlowe's way — there was a growing bubble of anxiety and uncertainty in the pit of Marlowe's stomach.

She felt overwhelmed with her emotions, she hardly heard the teacher's voice, calling for her attention. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Marlowe jumped a little. The teacher was in front of her, looking almost concerned.

"Are you OK?" she asked, her voice hushed. There were some murmurs among the students, which caused Marlowe's stomach to knot up.

"I'm fine," she murmured, avoiding all their gazes. She tried her hardest to tune out the growing number of whispers.

A small smile came across the teacher's face. "Why don't you introduce yourself?" she said softly. "Would you like to do that?"

Marlowe only shrugged in response.

"I've got an idea." Gently leading Marlowe to the front of the class, the teacher looked over her students, who continued to whisper to themselves for a moment longer before silencing. "Class, this is our new student, Marlowe Masters."

As badly as Marlowe tried, she couldn't help but cringe at the sound of her last name. If she had managed to learn her mother's maiden name, she would've gone with that. But Vlad had been adamant on keeping specific details about her mother under lock and key. Vlad's determination on belittling Marlowe's mother and keeping valuable information hidden seemed to add on to the growing dislike she had for him.

"Now, Marlowe," the teacher exclaimed, looking at her with what looked like somewhat forced enthusiasm, "I'm Mrs. Moore. If there's nothing you'd like to add, why don't you go find an open seat, OK?"

With a silent nod, Marlowe found the first open seat she could find and sat down.

 **. . . .**

 _Did I make the right decision, choosing to live with the Fentons? Sure, they're nice; but what if they figure everything out?_ The thought made a shiver of uncertainty run up Marlowe's back. _I can't let them find out I'm half-ghost. I can't let them find out Vlad's my father. God, how stupid do I have to be to think living with Danny was a good idea?_

But had Marlowe really expected Danny's family to be somehow linked to Vlad in some way? Her mind kept reeling over how she had picked the one family Vlad seemed to hate the most. With his obsession with Maddie and his utter hatred for Jack, Marlowe could only assume he'd be _furious_ if he ever found out Marlowe was living with them. The real question, though, was what Vlad planned on doing with them if he ever found out?

Pursing her lips, Marlowe felt an overwhelming sense of dread fill her.

* * *

 _Flashback_

* * *

Panting, Marlowe tried regaining herself. She'd been fighting Skulker for what felt like a lifetime, and he proved to be a pretty strong ghost in her books. Vlad had really outdone himself, looking for someone like Skulker.

"Already getting tired?" The sarcastic lilt in Skulker's voice made Marlowe grimace. She was; the ghost hunter had electrocuted, blasted, and hit, kicked, and punched his way through a majority of Marlowe's attacks. Sure, she managed to land some strong blows, but she couldn't land an effective enough hit to knock him out. At any rate, she'd lose the battle and God help her if Vlad found out she lost her little _battle_. A sickening feeling came in the pit of Marlowe's stomach, working its way up into her chest. She couldn't understand how Vlad was so willing to throw his daughter to fight ghosts and monsters, how he seemed so willing to throw whatever negativity had been eating away at him in her direction. She didn't _ask_ to have him as her father; she didn't _ask_ to be the way she was, or to be treated the way she was.

What did it matter, anyway? It wasn't like Marlowe had any way of contacting anyone. Vlad made sure to have a watchful eye on her at the best of times, ensuring she didn't do anything to endanger his reputation. He had to hold the title of the wealthy single father, the loving and devoted dad to his "little girl". And she had a role, too. The loving daughter who absolutely _adored_ her father. The grateful only child who would support her father in any way possible. If Marlowe went around saying her father experimented on her, had her fight evil ghosts, and did all kinds of emotional abuse, who would believe her? They'd chalk it up as _imagination_. There was no escaping Vlad.

"That's enough, Skulker." The voice interrupted whatever attack Skulker was planning on executing, and Marlowe had to admit she was relieved. But she recognized that voice, and it filled her with dread. Coming through the door was Vlad, his hands clasping behind his back as he looked between his daughter and the ghost hunter, looking rather unimpressed. "Go back to the Ghost Zone," Vlad instructed, looking at Skulker with a condescending expression. "Or do I need to make myself clear?"

A frightened look swept across Skulker's face before he flew off to Vlad's Portal.

Marlowe looked at her father anxiously for a moment. He looked at her for the longest minute in Marlowe's life, and that anxiety only seemed to grow. She had no idea what his look was supposed to mean; it was so stoic it was borderline expressionless. Was he mad? Marlowe did her best to win the battles she found herself in. That had become instinctual. Winning meant she was improving, which meant Vlad would be a little more pleasant. Her battle with Skulker had been the first in a while that had ended badly.

"You've disappointed me, Marlowe," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Here I was, thinking you were improving. You're still the useless girl I always saw you as." Those words caused Marlowe to flinch, despite how many times she heard it before. "How are you supposed to be beneficial to me if you can't get basic fighting out of the way?" he sighed.

"What kind of father even does this to their kids?" Marlowe exclaimed. "None of this is normal! I just want to know what it's like to be normal."

"Enough," Vlad barked. "You are the child! You are here to obey me! Understand?"

The harshness in his voice caused such an explosion of fear in Marlowe that she found herself incapable of breathing for a minute. Her eyes were wide and it felt like her heart dropped into her stomach. Swallowing thickly, Marlowe gave a slow nod. If she couldn't rely on someone to help her get out, she'd have to figure it out for herself.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **What'd you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Let me know in the reviews! Not a lot of people are reviewing and it's breaking my heart, honestly. I can't let get better if I don't get feedback. So leave a comment; give some constructive criticism. If you think I can improve somewhere, don't hesitate to let me know!**

 **DANNY PHANTOM isn't mine. Do I really need to keep doing these disclaimers, though? You guys know I don't own anything aside from my OCs and subplots.**

 **Speaking of OCs and subplots, if you guys have an idea for characters and side stories you'd like added in, don't hesitate to let me know. Leave a review or a PM and I'll add it in as soon as possible. I'd like to think that reader contribution is important, right?**

 **That's about it, I guess.**

 **Let me know if there's any confusion.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


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